Automatic shut-off for water gauges



- March 8, E. P. PRATOR AUTOMATIC snuw-om FOR WATER swans Filed March 5. 1921 a, $heets-Sheet 1 P K M? 4 VP 9 3 & 2v. a n w E 0 M x -March"'8, 1927. ,619,828

E. P, PRAT OR AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF" FOR WATER GAUGES Filed March 5. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 fia. 2

March '8, 1927. v

E. P. PRATOR AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF FOR'WATER GAUGES Filed March 5, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 dental leakage from the device.

Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFTQE.

ERNEST I. PRATOR, OF LEEPEB, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T JOHN T. FREIDRIGKS, 0F LEEIE'ER, MISSOURI, AND ONE-THIRD T0 JOHN B. STEPHENS, OF

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

' AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF FOR WATER GAUGES.

Application filed. March 3, 1921.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic shut-offs for water gauges and similar devices wherein it is desirable to shut off the fluid pressure in the event of acciobjects is to produce a device which will shut off the flow of water and steam to a water gauge when the glass becomes cracked or broken.

A further object is to construct a shut-off for water gauges, which when the broken glass is replaced will automatically open so that the gauge will again be placed in use.

A still further object is to construct a shut-ofi' for water gauges which is so constructed that the replaced glass will first be heated before the boiler pressure and hot water are permitted to enter the same.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my device showing the same secured to a boiler sheet.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the upper member of my device.

Fig. 3 is an end View viewing the same from the end which is inserted in the boiler sheet.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view viewing the same in the opposite direction.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the lower member made use of.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the same.

7 is an end view of the upper central member showing the valve seat and the notch for permitting the entrance of steam to the water glass for preheating it.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the combined lever and indicator.

Fig. 9 is an end view of the upper valve.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation 01" one of the valves; and

Fig. 11 is an end view of the same looking in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 10. r

In the construction of my device I employ an upper central member 12. This member s provided on one end with the screw-thread ed projection 13. This screw-threaded projection is provided with a valve seat 14 and a central opening 15. The opening 15 communicates with a chamber 16 formed in the member 12. The valve seat is provided with a notch or recess 17 the purpose of which will be explained later. Secured on the One of the Serial No. 449,584.

screw-threaded projection 13 is a sleeve 18, which has its end screw-threaded, as at 19, to permit its insertion into a boiler sheet. The sleeve 19 is provided with the opening 21, which communicates with an enlargement 22 and in this enlargement is located the valve 23. This valve has a tapered face 2 1, which is adapted to seat against the valve seat 14 and prevent the leakage of steam. Through the valve 23 is formed an opening 25, the purpose of which is to permit steam from the boiler to pass through the passageway 15 and into the chamber 16. This passage of steam, however, will only take place when the opening 25 is so turned as to register with the notch 17. When this. opening does not register with the notch 17, the valve seat 14 closes this opening and no escape of steam is possible. the valve 23 is a portion 26. This portion has flattened faces 27, as indicated in Fig. 11. These flattened faces are joined by the curved faces 28, which fit snugly within the bore 15 and act as a guide for the valve 23. The flattened faces, however, allowing sufiicient space for the free passage of steam into the chamber 16. Formed integral with the portion 26 is a valve stem 29. This valve stem is provided with a cylindrical opening 30, which opens into the chamber 16 (see Fig. 2). The valve stem 29 is provided on its rear end with the piston 31, which is secured thereto by means of the nut 32. The piston 31 is located in the cylinder This cyl.-" inder is open at its inner end and provided at its inner end with the valve seat 34 against which the bevelled edge 35 of the piston rest-s. This prevents any leakage when the piston is engaged with the valve seat 34. The opposite end of the cylinder 33 is closed by means of a nut or cylinder head 36. Formed integral with the cylinder 33 is an arm 37, which in turn is formed integral with a nut or collar 38. This collar being secured to the screw-threaded projection 39 formed integral with the central member 12. -Extending from the projection 39 is a gland 40 over which a' packing nut 41 is secured. This is for the purpose of packing the valve stem 29 and preventing. leakage. Secured on the valve stem 29 is a combined lever and indicator 4.2. This being for the purpose of indicating whether the valve is open or closed and is also for Formed integral with the purpose of rotating the valve 25 so as to removeany scale which might i orm on the valve or valve seat and preventits, seating properly. Formed integral with the central member 12 is a screw-threaded sleeve 43, which is adapted to receive the lock nut ll for locking the upper portion of the water glass in position, This sleeve is provided with a passageway 46, which communicates with the chamber l6. The lower member consists of a central member 47,

which is likewise provided with a screw threaded projection 48 havingh valve seat 49 located therein. Secured to this'screwthreaded projection is asleeve 50 having a screwthreaded end by ijvhich lower portion of the device is attached to a holler. The central member 47 is prpvided with a chamber 52 and with a passageway 53, by means of which water is admitted to the chamber The sleeve 50 isprovided with a passageway 54 and the enlargement 55 through which the water from the boiler may enter. In the enlargement 55 is located a valve 56, which is provided with the beve elled surface 5?, which is adapted to come in contactwith the seat 49 and close oil the water from the boiler. The central membcr 4:7 is provided with a screw-threadedprojcction 58, which receives the lock nut 59 for locking the lower end of the water. glass 45 in position. The projection 5.8 is provided with a passageway 60, which communicates with the chamber 52. Formed integral with the valve 56 is the enlargement 61 and valve stem 62. These parts 6i and 62am formed identically with the parts 27, 28 and 29 of the valve device shown in Fig. 10, as are also the piston 63 and nut 6,4. The'cylinder 65, is also provided with a valve seat 66. This valve seat performs the same function asthe valve seat 34:. The cylinder 65 isclosed by means of a cylinder head or nut 67 and secured in this cylinder head is adrain eock v68; This drain cock is for the purpose, of cleaning out the cylinder 65. since by opening itwater will be driven through the passageway 69 formed in the valve stem 62 and drive out accumulated sediment. The cylinder 65 is secured to the central member by means of the yoke 70, which is formed integral with the nut or collar 71, which is screw-threaded on the. projection 72 formed integral with the, central member. The valve, stem 62 is also packed against leakage by means of the gland/7'2? and packing nut 73, Mounted on the valve stem 62 is a combined lever and indicator 74, which is for the same, purpose as the lever 42. Formed in the underside ofthe central member and cornmtmicatiug with the chamber 52 is a screw-threaded passage 75in which seated the valve 76. Itwill be, noted that the passage 77 in the valve'is' 0t greater diameter than the inside diameter of the water glass 45. The purpose .of this is that when'the valve 76 is fully opened all of the pressure in the glass 45 is released and the valves act the same as if the glass 4L5 were broken. In this .way the device can be tested at any time so as to ascertain whether or not the automatic valves, are functioning properly. The valve 7 6 also allows the cleaning out of the chamber 52 since the valve 56 can be unseated by means of the lever 74- and allow wa er from the boiler to flush out the chamber Theopera tioii oi my device is as follows: After the gauge has been installed on the boiler and the water turned in until the desired level of water is reached heat is ap plied to the boiler, the valves are unseat-ed by moving the levers 42 and '54 backward and tt ng t m ha g n th posit n in 1; as the water becomes heated the entire apparatus will gradually attain the proper temperature. At this time the upper memher, asweil the passage 30 and cylinder 33, will be lilled with steam, while the lower member together with the passage ($9 and cylinder 65 will be filled with hot water. Both of the members are subjected to the boilerpressure. In the event the glass 45 breaks or cracks, the pressure inside of the glass and in the cylinders 33 and 55 will be released and the boiler pressure will seat the valves 25 and 56, thus closing off the steam and water supply from the boiler, with the exception of a thin stream of which passe t rough th pe i g po Thi steam issuing will also bean indication that there is something wrong withthe system, in the event that the glass is not totally destroyed. lVhen it is desired to replace a broken or defective glass the lever is turned so as to bring the opening out ofalignment with the notch 17, when this flow of steam will cease. The new glass'is then inserted and the lever l2 again turned in the position shown in Fig. l; or in other words, the handle straight down. This will allow steam to enter through the port and notch 17, which steam will gradually fill the entire device; that is, the device to the front of the valves 23 and 56, and as tl e device gradually attains boiler pressure the glass becomes warmed and when b oiler pressure is reached, the pressure in the cylinders 33 and 65 will automatically unseat the valves 23 and 56 and restore the complete operation of the device, In this way'it is possible for the-engineer to install a new water glass without, any danger of being scalded, and also, he may leave the glass directly after it has been installed and let the automatic opening place the glass into use when it has become properly warmed. This placingin use of a new glass at present requires] considerable care, as the glass is liable to crack if the steam or water pressure is turned on suddenly, which causes a sudden and unequal rise in temperature. lVhile I have shown my device having both upper and lower members attached directly to a boiler sheet, it is obvious that there may be various other connections made so thatthe water glass or gauge can be placed in any desired position without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, awater glass, upper and lower conductors whereby the ends of said water glass are placed in communication with a boiler, check valves adapted to control communication between said ends and the boiler, said check valves being movable to their closed positions in response to a rapid discharge of fluid therepast, and fluid-actuated valve-opening means whereby said valves are automatically opened in response to fluid pressure in said water glass, said means including pressurereceiving members carried by the respective valves and said conductors having passageways through which pressure is transmitted to said pressure-receiving members, and one of said valves having a port whereby said water glass is placed in communication with the boiler when said valves occupy their closed positions, so as to provide for the transmission of fluid pressure to said pressure-receiving members.

2. In a device of the character described, a water glass, upper and lower conductors whereby the ends of said water glass are placed in communication with a boiler, check valves in said conductors adapted to control communication between said ends and the boiler, said check valves being movable to their closed positions in response to a rapid discharge of fluid therepast, and fluid-actuated valve-opening means whereby said valves are automatically opened in response to fluid pressure in said water glass, said means including fluid-actuated members and said conductors being provided with passage ways through which fluid pressure is transmitted from said water glass to said fluid actuated members, and there being a re stricted steam outlet through which steam escapes to said water glass when the valves occupy their closed positions.

3. In a device of the character described, a water glass, upper and lower conductors whereby the ends of said water glass are &

placed in communication with a boiler, check valves in said conductors adapted to control communication between said ends and the boiler, said check valves being movable to their closed positions in response to a rapid discharge of fluid therepast and fluid-actuated valve-opening means, whereby said valves are automatically opened in response to fluid pressure in said water glass, said means including pistons each connected to one of said valves, and cylinders in which said pistons are mounted, there being a restricted steam outlet through which steam escapes tothe water glass when the valves occupy their closed positions, and said conductors being provided with passageways through which fluid pressure is transmitted from said water glass to said cylinders.

4. In a device of the character described, a water glass, upper and lower conductors whereby the ends of said water glass are placed in communication with a boiler, check valves arranged in said conductors to control communication between said ends and the boiler, said check valves being movable to their closed positions in response to a rapid discharge of fluid through said c011- ductors, automatic valve-opening means whereby said check valves are moved to their open positions, and manually operated oscillatory members associated with said means to permit manual operation of said check valves, each of said manually operated members being rigidly secured to one of said valves so as to permit oscillation of the valves when they occupy their closed positions.

5. In a device of the character described, a water glass, upper and lower conductors whereby the ends of the water glass are placed in communication with a boiler, and upper and lower check valves arranged in said conductors, said check valves being movable to their closed positions in response to a rapid discharge of fluid through said water glass, the upper check valve having a restricted port permitting leakage of steam from the boiler when said upper check valve is closed, the seat for said upper check valve being provided with a closure for said restricted port, and means for turning said upper check valve to locate its restricted port at said closure.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNEST P. PRATOR. 

